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‘The legal profession is vital to the health of Australian society’
Lawyers contribute to Australian society and communities in a variety of different and unseen ways, a new report has highlighted.
Lauren Croft
While Australia’s legal profession prides itself on providing a voice for those in need, it rarely gets the recognition it deserves, according to the Law Council of Australia.
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The Lawyer Project Report, released on Friday (5 November) by the Law Council, highlights the contribution lawyers make to the community and addresses misconceptions regarding the profession.
Law Council of Australia president Dr Jacoba Brasch QC said that it was important that the contributions made by the profession were understood in the community and didn’t go unnoticed.
“Every day I speak with lawyers who are making a real difference in the lives of Australians without expecting any recognition,” she said.
“As a profession, we have been very reticent to promote the contribution we make, and I think the result is that many people either have a limited understanding of all that my colleagues do on behalf of clients and the community, or actually believe some of the false stereotyping we are subjected to.”
The report follows a speech delivered in 2007 by the then-chief justice of the Supreme Court of NSW, Honourable James Spigelman AC QC. His honour highlighted the positive social, economic and political contribution made by the legal profession and its failure to communicate the significance of this contribution with the broader community.
“The Lawyer Project draws on existing literature, analysis and case studies to illustrate the importance of the Australian legal profession and demonstrate, for the benefit of the Australian public, the often ‘hidden’ contribution that lawyers make to society through an economic, social and political lens,” the report stated.
“Through its integral role in the administration of justice, the legal profession is vital to the health of Australian society,” Dr Brasch added.
“Lawyers offer a voice and tools to all members of our community seeking justice. Thanks to the strength of Australia’s pro bono and legal assistance sectors and our specialist not-for-profit and charity lawyers, the most marginalised and disadvantaged within our community are able to access assistance when they need it.”
In 2020-21, Australian lawyers provided 641,965.75 hours of pro bono work, according to the latest National Pro Bono Centre report. This is over 16 per cent more pro bono hours than in 2019-20 – and Dr Brasch noted that over the course of the pandemic, lawyers became a critical part of the nation’s disaster response.
“Statistics from the early days of this public health crisis found 49 per cent of Australian businesses relied upon external advisors, including lawyers, in the face of uncertainty caused by the pandemic. We could safely assume this figure would now be even greater. In addition, lawyers have assisted individuals with matters ranging from insurance, family law and family violence through to tenancy and housing and social security,” she said.
“Of course, lawyering is not just what happens in the courtroom. Often it is about aiding policy or law reform at the highest level. Many of the protections we take for granted, like discrimination law, only exist because lawyers have fought hard for social change.
“As the Lawyer Project Report concludes – lawyers play a vital role in well-functioning societies, and their often-hidden contributions make the profession a unique and integral part of the community.”
